Comments on: Farming Lesson to Save Your Brand

By: Farming Lesson to Save Your Brand | Idea Sandbox

Farming Lesson to Save Your Brand | Idea Sandbox — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 03:18:21 +0000

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By: Muay Thai

Muay Thai — Thu, 08 May 2008 08:15:51 +0000

tq for ur info…it’s very interesting…..

By: Dani Nordin

Dani Nordin — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 22:22:49 +0000

I agree, and think that these principles can be applied to small businesses just as easily as larger ones. While it’s certainly tempting to keep your “eyes on the prize,” so to speak, and you certainly shouldn’t lay low for TOO long, stopping to reassess and refocus is important to identify areas of your business that are lagging, not working, or otherwise just draining. Once those things are shifted, you can move forward on better footing. This was something that I had to do at the beginning of this year after a few disappointments, and I have never been more satisfied with my business.

By: Dani Nordin

Dani Nordin — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 22:18:57 +0000

I love this idea, and I think it can be applied both to large and smaller-scale businesses. I started my studio at the beginning of last year and spent the first twelve months in GROW GROW GROW mode, and then hit a really hard crash at the beginning of this year.
Devastated and convinced that I was in the toilet, I instead took the time to rebuild, refocus my energies, define my market, and get myself back out there, and I’ve actually seen really strong growth as a result.
While my story is not quite the same as a Starbucks, I think there’s a lot of value in just stopping for a bit to reassess and get rid of what no longer serves you. When you’re stuck in the GROW GROW GROW, you can end up bringing with you a lot of excess baggage that is ultimately going to weigh you down.

By: daily biz

daily biz — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 18:24:27 +0000

This is a great idea that can be extended to advertising, at least certain advertising.
I was writing about the new campaign for the Zune music player when I realized that they were better off taking time out. Let consumers forget that you are second best while spending the ad money on product innovation. When you have something good to sell, and your field isn’t fallow, then tell the advertising story.
http://dailybiz.wordpress.com/2007/11/06/fallow-field-advertising/

By: Michael Scadden

Michael Scadden — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 16:53:44 +0000

The concept of fallow farming is fairly easy to understand….but then again I come from a family of farmers. The point of long-term thinking is well noted but not necessarily real in this application.
I don’t know of one CMO who would go to his CEO and say “Hey, let’s lay low for a year.”
Also, Starbucks is one of the most aggressive growth companies in the world. Howard Shultz (CEO/Starbucks) is willing to build stores across the street from each other just so the customer has ease of entry. In addition, starbucks has been able to weed out undesirable products, train employees, focus on customer needs, and be involved with their communities quite effectively.

By: Neil Anuskiewicz

Neil Anuskiewicz — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 17:36:35 +0000

Another farming thing I have heard is “make hay while the sun shines,” which I think applies to business.
I think it means that when you can work hard because you have the opportunity, do it!
Rain will come soon enough…

By: Michael Goodman

Michael Goodman — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 21:10:12 +0000

A very interesting thought … fallow farming for business/marketing. Not sure how stockholders would react, or how a small business owner would survive during the fallow period, but a great concept to encourage long-term thinking.
Here’s another possibility: Hire an outside consultant to “serve fallow time” for you. The consultant would think the big thoughts, plan for the future, assess what’s working and what’s not, and generally provide the same benefits that the fallow period would provide, while allowing the company to keep on keepin’ on.
I’ve had a number of clients use our services this way, and we have a nice portfolio of success stories as a result.
Thanks for a very interesting metaphor. As I learned working on an Ag product, there is a lot of wisdom embedded in farming. This is another great example of that.

By: Claire F. Kuhl

Claire F. Kuhl — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 20:48:48 +0000

I agree wholeheartedly with your proposal and its potential value–you are definitely low on the manure quotient, approaching genius.
Sadly, in the rush to GROW MORE, DO MORE, GO-GO-GO, we end up mistaking activity for progress. My take on this: the farmer who leaves a field fallow is applying LONG-TERM thinking. Sadly, in my 25+ years in business, I have found precious little long-term thinking, and likewise little attention to sustainability.
Perhaps we need a semantic shift? If bosses/shareholders are reluctant to provide “slack,” “downtime,” or a “fallow season,” would they be more open to a “restorative period” or a “revitalization event”?? Let’s find a snappy brand name for the recharging process, and then maybe it will catch on!

By: Paul Barsch

Paul Barsch — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 14:56:19 +0000

Paul, a sound idea, but perhaps impractical with demanding shareholders. A similar and maybe more palatable approach would be to work in some “slack” on the production, new product introduction schedule for a respite to refocus.
This strategy, of course, would assume you run a tight ship to begin with and can afford a little bit of slack. Thoughts?

By: Ann Handley

Ann Handley — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 12:06:04 +0000

Worked for me, Gerald. Try again.

By: Gerald Mann

Gerald Mann — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 12:01:10 +0000

Hi,
the Link to rice.edu would not work.
By Gerald